Presents of Mind
by Mood LC
Summary: It's a special day for Larry and Jennifer, but last-minute complications have the couple enlisting Balki and Mary Anne to help them out of their separate jams. Reviews and feedback are greatly appreciated!


**PERFECT STRANGERS**

"_PRESENTS OF MIND_"

_by Andrew Shaver_

On a chilly grey autumn Saturday afternoon, Larry is sitting at the kitchen counter and enjoying a glass of milk as he looks out the window. He smiles, thinking about memories of events from a year earlier. The weather wasn't much different, but it was much less noticeable then. He picks the cookie from his plate and looks at it, then to the glass of milk. He studies the cookie once again, then returns his vision back to the milk and once again to the cookie.

"Should I?" Larry asks himself. With a grin, he responds, "Why not? The way I'm feeling, what could go wrong?" Still holding on to his memories of losing more than a few cookies in dunking mishaps, he gently submerges the edge of his chocolate chip treat into the milk. He cautiously allows himself to dip the cookie a bit further in, until it is halfway into the milk. With a myriad of nervous reaction expressions dancing across his face, he carefully pulls the cookie up. At the very last moment, just as the cookie is about to be freed from the milk, Larry closes his eyes, fearing the worst…..

But there's no sound. No 'plop' or 'splash'. He cracks open one eye and peers down at the cookie in his hand. It didn't break! Larry almost feels triumphant and has to retain himself from raising the cookie above his head and into a spotlight that would no doubt have shone so brightly on the cookie, the sign of Larry's victory over the dunking curse.

With a smile of satisfaction, Larry brings the cookie towards his mouth.

"COUSIN!!!" is suddenly heard in a volume that causes the cookie to break in Larry's hand. Most of the dessert crashes into the milk. Larry throws down the last bit of cookie in his hand in frustration.

"COUSIN!!!" Balki repeats excitedly as he exits his bedroom in a sprint. Without any warning, Balki crashes into his cousin with a big hug. A confused Larry is suddenly snatched up by his Myposian roommate and turned upside down. "Cousin, you'll never guess what today is!" Balki clean-and-jerks Larry over his shoulder and begins dashing around the apartment while Larry can only get out jostled noises from his shuddering body.

Balki throws Larry onto the couch. "It's Parrobadoobodooki Day!!!"

Larry takes a moment to get over his Balkiback Ride queasiness. He looks at his cousin. "Parrobadoobodooki Day?"

"Yes! It's a celebration of the flock! Parrobadoobodooki Day is a daylong festival that commemorates the dedication of sheep and the sacrifices they have made throughout history!" Balki exclaims. "Aren't you excited?"

"That depends," Larry says calmly. "Does it mean I have to wear a hat?"

"Well, of course not, don't be ridiculous! You can't wear a hat with the Bingaboknok Su-it! It would clash!"

"The Bingaboknok Su-it?"

"All Myposians wear it on Parrobadoobodooki Day! The material was specially picked out by King Ferdinand! It's called Boknok, and it comes from a combination of goat hair, sheep's wool and fish scales." Balki pauses with a smile. "Cousin, you haven't lived until you've worn boknok stockings!"

Larry just looks at his cousin with a condescending smile. "Balki, I'm not going to wear any Bingaboknok su-it or do any Parrobadoobo-_doo_-ki dance…"

"But, Cousin…"

"And I'm definitely not going to wear any stockings that smell like the catch of the day."

Somewhat dejected, Balki understands Larry's position. "Well, alright, Cousin. But I've never Parrobadoobodookied alone before."

Larry pats Balki's knee. "Trust me, you'll be stronger for it. Besides, I have other plans." Balki gets a look of great fear on his face. "No, Balki, not that kind of plan."

"Thank God," Balki sighs. A smile appears on his face, "So, what kind of plans have you got for us?"

"Oh, no. They're not plans for us. They're plans for Jennifer and I." He grins. "It's an anniversary of sorts."

"Oh, Cousin! What kind of anniversary? Is it to mark the day you first did the Dance of Joy together?"

"No, Balki…"

"Or was it the day you gave her your nana's babadinko?"

Larry puzzles for a moment at just what a babadinko might be, then answers, "No, Balki…"

"Or the first time you shocked each other after you did that thing where you rub your feet across the carpet as fast as you can and then build up the electricity in your body then touch something and get a jolt big enough to make your hair stand up and--"

"Balki, Balki--" Larry begins, grabbing hold of Balki, who is acting out his description of being shocked by static electricity, "—it's nothing like that."

"It isn't?"

"No. Jennifer and I are celebrating the anniversary of when we first expressed our feelings for each other. Remember last year, just before Jennifer was going to take that job in Los Angeles?"

Balki relaxes and Larry releases his grip on his cousin's arms. "Well, of course I do, don't be ridiculous!" He looks at Larry as a large smile grows across the Mypiot's face. "Well, I'll be snookered! Cousin Larry and Jennifer! A whole year!" He pauses. "That means I owe Mary Anne ten dollars." Larry gets a look of hurtful surprise on his face. "Oh, Cousin! I'm only kidding!" Larry rolls his eyes. "Cousins should joke more!" Balki throws his arm around his cousin's shoulders. "So, what your big plans is?"

Larry smiles. "First, I'm taking Jennifer to Chez Papillion, the most exclusive restaurant in town!"

"Cousin, is that wise? You may want your privacy while you eat."

Larry thinks for a moment, then the light goes on. "No, Balki. Not 'intrusive'….._exclusive_. It means special."

"Ohhhh!"

"Then after dinner, I'm taking Jennifer to the Chandelier Room for a romantic night of dancing." Larry continues proudly, "It's the most elite lounge in town, and the most difficult to get in to, but when I told them that Larry Appleton from the Chicago Chronicle needed to be there tonight, they didn't hesitate to accommodate me!"

Balki just looks at him. "It cost you big bucks, _hoh_?"

Larry's eyes look up and down, his ego now deflated. "Yes."

"Well, Cousin, it sounds like you're going to have a wonderful night! You'll sweep Jennifer off of her head, dance around the Shampooed Hair Room, and you'll be as close as two ticks on a sheep's ear!"

"In a matter of speaking, yes." Larry pats his cousin's knee. "Now, I have to get ready. While I'm changing, will you get my Chandelier Room tickets for me? They're under my trophy on the mantle."

As Larry walks into his bedroom, a romantically-inspired Balki picks up Dimitri from the couch and begins humming _Isn't it Romantic?_ while dancing around the couch with his stuffed sheep in his arms. He dips Dimitri and says, "Now that's what I call a 'sheep dip'!" He straightens up and laughs. "Where do I come up with them?"

Balki places Dimitri on the couch and slides over to the mantle above the fireplace. Once he gets there, he removes the trophy only to find there are no tickets there. He looks at the underside of the base of the trophy, then scans the top of the mantle. He pauses, suddenly realizing how Larry will react if Balki can't find the tickets. He tosses the trophy on the couch and begins frantically searching the fireplace area, including through the ashes inside.

"Balki!" Larry calls.

The Mypiot pauses, fearful. "Yes, Cousin?"

"Just put the tickets by my car keys on the counter!"

Balki's face contorts into even more of a painful panic. "Ok, Cousin." He begins nervously muttering in Myposian as he continues his anxious search for the tickets.

Larry hears the commotion and comes out of his room, puzzled and partially-dressed in a dress shirt, tie, black socks and boxer shorts. "What's going on?"

Balki, with his back to Larry, yelps in surprise, unaware that his cousin has exited his room. The yelp takes Larry off-guard; he stumbles backwards, bounces off the wall and crashes to the floor. Sprawled out on the floor, he looks up at Balki with wide-eyed anger. "What is the matter with you?!"

Balki rushes to help his cousin up. "Oh, Cousin, I'm so sorry! I, uh….I didn't know you were there!"

Larry stands and begins brushing himself off. Balki clumsily assists Larry, but ends up getting his hands mixed in with Larry's. Larry fights off Balki's hands, which are still in motion, and yells, "Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" Balki immediately pulls his hands back and buries them in his chest, as his expression is that of someone who is worried and trying to keep a secret. Larry studies Balki, who seems to hope that his cousin will not catch on that there's a problem. "Balki," Larry begins slowly in a suspicious tone, "is something wrong?"

Balki says nothing and avoids eye contact.

"Balki," Larry tries again. "What's going on?"

Balki holds still.

"BALKI!!!"

The Mypiot is startled, "AHHH!!!"

"What is wrong with you?!"

"Oh, Cousin, it's, uh…..What I mean to say is….." He pauses, then suddenly responds in a calm manner. "What makes you think something wrong is?"

Larry's eyes bulge as he is unable to believe what Balki is trying to do. "What makes me think something wrong is? I'll tell you what makes me think something wrong is! You're crashing around out here, you're covered in soot, and I don't see my tickets anywh--" Larry stops suddenly, noticing the look of great concern on Balki's face and realizing what is happening. "Oh, no. No, no. Don't tell me you lost the tickets!"

Balki looks at Larry with an almost comical surprise. "What you mean I lost the tickets?"

Larry sharply points at Balki with a wild look in his eyes. "So you admit it!"

- - - - -

Meanwhile, in the apartment directly above, Jennifer exits her room in a panic. "Mary Anne," she gasps, frantically looking around the living room area.

"I'm over here, Jennifer!" Mary Anne calls from the couch, assuming she is what her roommate is searching for.

Jennifer stops in mid-search to glare at her friend, annoyed that she's been thought of as being that oblivious. "I know where you are. It's the gift I bought Larry for our anniversary that I can't find! Have you seen it?"

"No," Mary Anne replies blankly. Her tone suddenly changes to that of suspicion: "But you know, a lot of things around here have gone missing lately!"

"Like what?"

"Like the water in our humidifier! Just last night I filled it up before I plugged it in, and when I woke up this morning, the water was gone!"

Jennifer just stares at Mary Anne for a moment, shakes her head, then resumes her ransacking of the living area. "I've got to find it!"

"Jennifer, don't worry about it. We can get new water from the tap."

"Not the water! Larry's present!" Jennifer continues her search. "I can't believe this is happening! And right on our anniversary!"

"Wow, I can't believe it's been a whole year. That means Balki owes me ten dollars!"

"What?"

"Uh, nothing. So, what did you get Larry?"

"It's that pair of cufflinks that he's had his eye on for a while. You were with me when I bought them, remember?"

Mary Anne pauses to think. "Oh, riiiight!"

Again, Jennifer shakes her head. "Mary Anne, could you help me look for them, please?"

"Where should I start?"

"Maybe the closet," Jennifer replies, fumbling through the desk drawers. "I might have left them in my coat pocket, or maybe they dropped on the floor when I hung up my coat." As Mary Anne opens the closet door, Jennifer calls her off. "No, wait! I just thought of something! Larry's going to be picking me up any minute; I can't see him without giving him his present!" She rushes over to Mary Anne and guides her towards the door. "Mary Anne, you have to go downstairs and stall Larry. Don't let him come up."

"But how will I know how long to stall him?"

"Uh…I'll phone you when I'm ready."

Mary Anne panics. "But their phone always rings the same! How will I know it's you?"

Jennifer sighs with frustration. "Let them answer the phone. When I call, I'll ask to speak to you."

"Oh, that's a better plan." Mary Anne opens the door and begins to step out, when Jennifer, in her haste, absent-mindedly shoves her friend into the hallway and slams the door before continuing her search.

- - - - -

Back downstairs, Balki calmly sits at the counter, dunking his cookie in a glass of goat's milk as he watches a frenetic Larry rush around the apartment, looking for the tickets. Larry stops and, with a puzzled look on his face, stares at Balki's cookie, which is still intact. He grits his teeth and returns to his mad search. "You know, Cousin," Balki begins, "you ought to keep things you don't want to lose pinned to you." Larry stops suddenly to give Balki a death stare as his cousin continues; "That's what Mama always told me: she said, 'Balki, there are two ways you'll never lose something – you can pin it to you, or you can give it to the Keeper of the Hut and let his goat guard it.' Now, correct me if I'm wrong, Cousin, but you do not have a goat. However," Balki says as his face breaks into a modest grin, "Balki's room may have enough space if we ever wanted to—"

"No goats! No goats! I've told you a million times, Balki: No goats! Now will you help me look for the tickets?!"

"Ok, Cousin, but I think you should know that Mypos uses the goat as its official tracking animal, and that—"

"No goats! No goats! No goats! Tickets, tickets, tickets! Help me find the tickets!"

The two Cousins search the bookshelf area, tossing every book off the shelf and unconsciously at one another. After realizing that Balki is throwing books at him while searching the shelf, Larry stops and stares at his cousin. Avoiding the flying books, Larry calmly moves to Balki and snatches him by the hair above his ear.

"Don't you ever, _ever_ do that again!"

"Do what?"

"Hit me with books."

Balki looks down at the books splayed on the floor at his feet, then looks back to his cousin. "But weren't you doing the same thing to Balki?"

"I don't remember," Larry begins sarcastically. "Perhaps I should have written a journal entry about my actions and given it to the Keeper of the Hut's goat to protect until you can file a grievance with the Mypos court system, which undoubtedly is comprised of three sheep, four pigs and a goat-herder with a really big crook!"

"But I—"

"THE TICKETS! THE TICKETS! FIND THE TICKETS!"

Suddenly, there's a knock at the door.

"Come in," Balki says quickly, hoping for intervention to distract Larry's tirade.

"Hi, guys," Mary Anne smiles nervously as she enters the apartment. She looks at Larry, who is still in his boxer shorts and dress shirt. "Oooh! Nifty outfit, Larry!" she says with enthusiasm.

Larry's eyes bulge as he looks down at himself. "Oh my Lord!" He rushes towards the bedroom, crashes into the door frame and falls down. He struggles to get to his feet, but slips and falls again, before rapidly crawling into his bedroom to put his pants on.

Balki moves over to his girlfriend. "Mary Anne, you're just in time. Cousin Larry's gone off the back end! He can't find his tickets to the Mousekateer Room and he has to pick Jennifer up in a few minutes."

Mary Anne grins brightly. "That's perfect!"

"It is?"

"Yes! Jennifer can't find her gift for Larry and she sent me down to stall him."

"Hey! Maybe I can go up and help Jennifer look while you help Cousin Larry find his tickets. That way, we can find Jennifer's gift for Cousin Larry faster, and I can get away from here because Cousin Larry is being as unruly as a yak's coat on a wet day!"

Mary Anne just stares blankly at Balki.

Balki pats her head. "Good luck, my little lamb shank." He dashes out the door as Mary Anne continues to ponder the yak reference.

Larry bursts out of his bedroom, fully dressed. He stops and looks around. "Where's Balki?"

"Oh," Mary Anne replies, "he said something about a yak's coat and ran out."

Larry arches his brows. "Must be off to see that Mongolian exhibit again." He suddenly returns to his panic mode. "Mary Anne, quick – can you help me look for a pair of tickets?!"

"Sure, Larry. What do they look like?"

"Well, they're blue and white and have writing on them and—" He stops, realizing the futility of the description. "They're tickets! If you see anything that looks like a pair of tickets, that's them!"

Mary Anne stares at an agitated Larry. "Gee, Larry, it seems to me that the pent-up anger you are displacing on others isn't so much a reflection of your frustration on the current situation, but rather a sign that your have some unresolved issues that require closure through detailed self-analysis. Perhaps transgressing into some central study of the self would be beneficial for you in recognizing the deep-seeded cause of your antagonism so you may better understand your own being and repair all personal damage."

Larry just stares with bewilderment at Mary Anne.

"Dr. Joyce Brothers once called my house by mistake."

Larry continues to stare at Mary Anne.

"I'll help you look," she offers quietly. The pair searches for the tickets.

- - - - -

Balki knocks on the door to Jennifer and Mary Anne's apartment. When Jennifer opens the door with a frazzled look upon her face, he smiles. "Good news, Jennifer! Balki is here to help!"

"Get in here!" Jennifer responds, forcefully yanking Balki into the apartment and across the floor.

"My goodness," Balki says, after regaining his balance. "I never realized how strong you are, Jennifer. You'd have been a great michimichiboongi!"

Jennifer arches her eyebrows. "_Michimichiboongi_?"

"Yes. The michimichiboongi is one of the most respected occupations on Mypos. It is a trade that requires great strength, courage and discipline."

"What exactly is a michimichibooni?" Jennifer asks impatiently, trying to get to receive a quick definition so she can end the conversation and return to her search.

"A yak groomer!" Balki announces proudly. "And let me tell you, honey, I think you are just the type of person to give a yak a good flossing!"

"Balki," Jennifer begins calmly, "Larry is going to pick me up at any minute, and I have turned my apartment upside down trying to find his present. You have just wasted two minutes of my time telling me that I'm suited to be a dental hygienist to a wild bovine. Now, tell me something, Balki – do you really think that those two minutes were best spent discussing the talents of a michimichi-_boo-_ni?"

"Well, I—"

"HELP ME FIND THE PRESENT!"

Balki flinches, stumbling backwards a step or two. He composes himself. "My, Jennifer. For a moment there, I thought I was in the same room with Cousin Lar—"

"BALKI!"

"AHHH!" Balki yelps in fearful surprise.

"HELP ME FIND THE PRESENT! PLEASE!"

"Well, at least you say 'please'. Cousin Larry nev—" He stops himself as Jennifer stares at him, showing Balki she means business. "But there will be plenty of time to talk about that later. Let's find Cousin Larry's present!" He begins searching for the gift.

- - - - -

Larry stands at the fireplace, running his finger along the mantle as he sadly looks at the bare spot where the tickets were. "No Chandelier Room," he sighs. "No dancing. No romantic anniversary." He glances over at Mary Anne, who is sitting on the couch, thumbing through a photo album she found shortly after she began helping Larry look for the tickets.

"Gee, Larry, this is a really nice picture of you at Disneyland!" She inspects the picture more closely. "But why aren't you smiling?"

"Well," Larry begins quietly, embarrassed, "I was still nauseous from the _It's a Small World_ ride."

"Ohh." Mary Anne looks up at Larry's sad face. "What's wrong, Larry?"

"I can't find the tickets."

"Tickets?" She pauses. "Oh, riiiight! I was supposed to help you find the tickets!" She gets up from the couch. "Well, let's start looking!"

"No, Mary Anne. Nevermind. I've looked everywhere. I've obviously lost them." He shakes his head. "I can't believe I've ruined our anniversary. I can't believe I've ruined everything. Maybe Jennifer deserves better than me. I'm such a complete loser."

"Oh, Larry," Mary Anne says sympathetically, moving over to her friend, "you're not a _complete_ loser."

He looks at her, wondering why she accentuated 'complete'. He closes his eyes. "Yes, I am. Who else would lose such an important thing?"

"Everybody loses things. I lose things all the time: hairbrushes, earrings, passengers' suitcases." She pauses, puzzled: "I even lose an hour of sleep every time we change the clocks in the spring." She looks at Larry. "Is that normal, or should I see a doctor about that?"

Larry is perplexed at Mary Anne's thinking. "You should see a doctor," he responds monotonously. A look of anguish returns to his face. "Mary Anne, what am I going to do?"

"I wish I knew," Mary Anne says, still upset about her annual loss of an hour of sleep. "Maybe we should all keep a closer eye on things we don't want to lose." She pulls out an item out of her pants pocket and hands it to Larry. "Here's that envelope you asked me to hold for you. Maybe you should keep it so I don't lose it."

Larry absent-mindedly takes the envelope. "Thanks." His eyes suddenly bulge. He looks at the envelope, then rips it open, much to Mary Anne's surprise, and pulls out the tickets. "Yes! Yes! The tickets!" He looks to Mary Anne. "The tickets!"

Mary Anne's face lights up. "You found them? Where were they?"

Larry begins to answer, then stops suddenly and gives an oblivious Mary Anne another look of confusion. "Mary Anne," he begins, "you were holding the tickets in that envelope I gave you. Remember, I asked you to hold on to them so I—" He starts to lower his voice in embarrassment. "--so I, uh…..(ahem)…..wouldn't lose them."

Mary Anne thinks for a moment. "Oh, riiiight!"

Larry quickly looks at his watch. "Ok, I've got just enough time to freshen up before picking up Jennifer!" He looks at the apartment's mess, which resulted in his mad search. "I'll just leave this for Balki!" He rushes into his room, bouncing off the door, backwards over his bed and onto the floor with a loud thump. "I'm fine!" he calls out.

- - - - -

Loud banging is heard from the kitchen, where Jennifer continues to search impatiently for her present for Larry. Meanwhile, Balki is amusing himself by playing with the bows on Mary Anne's pink fuzzy slippers.

"Balki!" Jennifer calls desperately. "Any luck?"

"Oh, sure, Jennifer! I'm the luckiest Mypiot on the head of the earth! I have a good job, wonderful friends, a beautiful girlfriend—"

Jennifer slunks out of the kitchen, sending a death glare to the back of Balki's head as he sits on the couch, raving about his fortunes.

"—I have a nice home, my health is good, it's Parrobadoobodooki Day—"

"BALKI!"

"AHHH!" Balki cries, falling from the couch to the floor with a thump.

Jennifer storms over to Balki. "The present! The present! Did you have any luck finding the present?!"

Balki sits on the floor, thinking. "Oh, Jennifer, I'm sorry. I got sidetracked when I saw Mary Anne's cute little slipheads, and—"

Jennifer slumps to the floor beside Balki. "Oh, this is the worst thing that could happen! Larry will hate me for this! How could I do this to him? After everything he must have gone through to plan a special night, and I've ruined it!"

Balki thinks about Larry's loss of the tickets and almost smiles at the irony. "Oh, I'm sure Cousin Larry will understand."

"No, no, no. He'll think I'm the worst girlfriend in the world!"

Balki again thinks about the irony. "You know, I never really realized how much you two have in common until now."

"What?"

Suddenly, Mary Anne enters the apartment. "Boy, Balki, I don't know how Larry makes it through each day without a trip to the hospital."

"Mary Anne!" Jennifer blurts, jumping to her feet. "You're supposed to be downstairs stalling Larry!"

"I did, but—"

"Oh, no! He'll be up any minute now and I still don't have his present!"

"I think you have some time. Larry fell over his bed and hit his head…..again."

"Is he ok?"

"Well, he said he was."

"Good, that will buy me some time!" Jennifer rushes back into the kitchen.

"I guess she hasn't found Larry's gift, huh?"

"No, my little lamb-ka-bob," Balki responds.

"Gee, that's too bad." She takes her purse from the end table and opens it. "With all the things going missing around here, I don't feel safe carrying this anymore," she says, handing him a small box from inside her purse. "Would you give this to Jennifer? She asked me to hold it for her. I'm going to go lie down."

Balki looks at the box. "Mary Anne, is this Jennifer's present for Cousin Larry?"

She looks at the box, then to Balki. "Oh, riiiight!"

Jennifer comes out from the kitchen. "I can't find it. What am I going to do?" She sees what Balki is holding and gasps. "Is that it?" She rushes over, takes the box and opens it. "Yes! Yes! The cufflinks!" She looks to Balki. "Where did you find them?"

"Ohhh, they just turned up."

"Oh, thank you, Balki! Thank you!"

"Actually, Jennifer, it was Mary Anne who gave them to me."

Jennifer turns to Mary Anne, who is dumbfounded. "Thank you, Mary Anne!" She gives her best friend a hug, then looks at her watch. "I still have time to freshen up before Larry picks me up!" She rushes into the bedroom. Balki and Mary Anne hear a shriek and a thump, then Jennifer calling out, "I'm fine!"

As Balki and Mary Anne look to one another, wondering why they both feel they're experiencing déjà vu, a knock from the other side of the door is heard. The couple acts excited, realizing it's Larry and that the anniversary evening will work out after all.

Balki opens the door to see Larry, dressed nicely in a suit, groomed very well and holding a dozen pink roses. He has a big grin on his face.

"Cousin!" Balki exclaims, lurching forward to embrace Larry.

Larry holds Balki off. "Easy there, Balki. I've somehow managed to get up here wrinkle-free, and I want to stay that way."

"Oh, po po!" Balki jests, playfully shoving his cousin.

Larry chuckles and gives Balki a return nudge. The Mypiot laughs silently, then prods his cousin again, to which Larry returns the good-natured poke. Balki then snickers and gives a full-force push to Larry, who crashes into the wall behind him. He immediately charges up to Balki, looking him dead in the eyes. "Don't you ever, _ever_—"

"Mary Anne?" Jennifer calls out from her bedroom, catching all three off guard. "Did you say something?"

"Uh, no, Jennifer!" Mary Anne turns to Larry with a smile. "She's almost ready, Larry. Have you got the tickets?"

Larry smiles. "Well, of course I do, don't be ridicu--" He stops suddenly, looking at Balki, who is grinning at his cousin. "I mean, yes; yes, I have the tickets. They're right here," he concludes, patting his breast pocket. His expression changes as he starts to feel for the tickets. "Oh my Lord!" He rushes away from the apartment and down the stairs.

Balki and Mary Anne listen as they hear Larry clumsily descend the steps and unlock the boys' apartment door.

"Mary Anne?" Jennifer calls out. "Was that you?"

"Uh, no, Jennifer!"

Mary Anne and Balki then hear Larry slam the downstairs apartment door shut and rush up the stairs, until he appears at the girls' door again, panting. "Got 'em!" he announces proudly.

"Boy, Cousin, when you lose your mind, you go all out!"

"I briefly lost my memory, Balki, not my mind."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Balki and Mary Anne utter simultaneously, drawing another look of hurtful surprise from Larry.

"Mary Anne," Jennifer says, exiting her bedroom, "are you sure you didn't—" She sees Larry, then smiles. "Oh, hi, Larry! I didn't even hear you come up!" She gives Larry a kiss.

"I think you must be the only one then, Jennifer," Balki quips as Mary Anne giggles.

"Pardon?"

"Oh, uh, Jennifer," Larry interrupts. "You look wonderful!"

"Thank you, Larry. So do you." She looks at his entire frame. "That suit really makes you look…..I don't know how to describe it—"

"Taller?" Mary Anne guesses.

"Like he has an upper lip?" Balki offers.

"No," Jennifer responds, turning to Larry. "Dignified. You look very dignified, Larry."

"Why, thank you. Shall we?"

"Certainly." Larry opens the door for Jennifer and escorts her out of the apartment.

Balki turns to his girlfriend. "Well, Mary Anne, if it wasn't for us, those two probably would still be going crazy looking for their gifts, _hoh_?"

"Well, I'm glad everything turned out, because now that they're gone, I can give you your gift!" She smiles. "Cover your eyes." Mary Anne begins walking towards her bedroom as Balki places a hand over his vision. He begins twitching with excitement.

"I wonder what it could be?" he says to himself. He calls out to Mary Anne; "Is it a new vest? Or a sweater for Dimitri!" He gasps, "Maybe it's a goat!"

Mary Anne returns to his side, giggling. "Balki, don't be silly. I don't know Dimitri's measurements!" She looks up at Balki. "Open your eyes."

Balki opens his eyes to see Mary Anne holding a box. He quickly opens it and pulls out the item inside: a t-shirt that reads, _'Kiss Me, It's Parrobadoobodooki Day_!' He looks to Mary Anne with a big smile. "You remembered!"

"Of course I did! I couldn't let you do the Parrobadoobodooki dance alone, could I?"

Balki grins then turns the t-shirt around so the wording is there for Mary Anne to read. She smiles, grabs Balki and kisses him hard and long.

After the kiss, Balki straightens up, catches his breath and manages to get out a, "W-w-w-wow!"

"And now, Balki," Mary Anne begins softly, running a finger over Balki's chest, "you can give me what I want."

Balki gets a bit of a smirk on his face. "Well, of course I can, don't be ridiculous!" Balki reaches into his pocket, and hands Mary Anne a ten-dollar bill.


End file.
